The subject matter described herein relates generally to an photonic assembly for optical fibers.
Electronic devices, such as switches, are used to interconnect many data transmission lines at a common location, such as a switch box. Such systems generally include a plurality of circuit boards that are coupled using electrical connectors or photonic connectors connected to the circuit boards. For example, backplanes and daughtercards are typically connected in this manner. Some systems utilize a midplane connector to connect line cards and switch cards.
Systems utilizing fiber optic connections have several disadvantages. For example, connecting many fiber optic connectors together at once has proven difficult. For example, when mating line cards and switch cards, the line cards and switch cards need to both be aligned with connectors held by a midplane. Plugging multiple connectors in at once is difficult due to manufacturing tolerances. When the optical fibers are joined, the ferrules must be precisely aligned along the same axis to provide optimal signal transmission between the optical fibers. In many electronic devices, the optical fibers may become misaligned so that the ferrules of the fibers do not extend along the same axis. Moreover, the optical fibers may become bent, thereby further misaligning the optical fibers. In some electronic devices, the ferrules may become separated forming a gap between the optical fibers. Misalignment of the optical fibers and/or gaps between the optical fibers may result in faulty signal transmissions between the optical fibers. Faulty signal transmissions may affect the performance of the electronic device and/or result in damage to the electronic device. Additionally, systems that use midplanes are not flexible in design and require redesign of the entire cabinet to obtain different switching configurations.
A need remains for a photonic assembly for optical fibers that provides a flexible approach to connecting fiber optic connectors. A need remains for a mechanism that properly aligns optical fibers and prevents gaps between the optical fibers.